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It sounds like you are engaging an unsuppressed enemy, which will naturally result in a lot of opfire; which is realistic. If a squad opens fire within sight of an unsuppressed enemy platoon, I’d expect that platoon to ‘let them have it’.

You need to use better tactics:

Suppression
It’s mainly about suppression. When the enemy is suppressed (taking cover, hiding, fearful, intimidated) they won’t return fire nearly as much.
Get artillery/mortar fire down on the position you want to attack just prior and during your attack. This will cause a lot of suppression.

Hit the enemy units with MMGs or HMGs (tripod MGs) or use ‘area fire’ (Z-fire) to suppress the areas where you expect the enemy is hiding. Tripod MGs cause a lot of suppression.

Use some infantry to area fire suspected enemy locations. This will not cause as much suppression as mortars and MMGs/HMGs.

Fire and Movement
Apart from suppression, you also need to use ‘fire and movement’ to keep your casualties low.

AFTER you’ve suppressed the enemy with arty and MGs, move your infantry squad towards the enemy. If your squad takes opfire, DO NOT return fire with that squad, as enemy fire will be even more accurate the second volley. Instead, shoot some more area fire at the enemy units that fired, with your MGs or other infantry units within range.

Or direct fire at the enemy with a second squad in Line of Sight. Then enemy opfire will be switched to fire at the second squad, and as it’s a first volley they will get low hit probabilities.

NOW, you can fire at the enemy with your first squad. If they get more opfire from the enemy, it will again be a first volley (new target) with low hit chances. Then you use your second squad to fire at the enemy or move forward. If this second squads takes opfire, DO NOT return fire with the second squad, return fire with another unit.

The idea is to keep enemy opfire from hitting the same squad twice in a row, so they only fire at a target once before having to change targets. Force the enemy to keep switching targets and respond to your firing and movement. Meanwhile your squads should try to mostly fire at the same target getting higher hit chances.

These are realistic tactics, and uses ‘fire and movement’ to get squads moving forward with supporting fire. When a friendly units takes fire, let them stay pinned while other units support them with return fire.

Hope this helps
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